1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an automobile display, an automobile infrared night vision device and a vehicle equipped with such a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automobile night vision devices are known from DE 39 32 216 C2 and DE 40 07 646 A1.
These include a camera having sensitivity outside the visible frequency range of light, for example, at a wavelength of between 800 nm and 2000 nm. Beyond this, they include light sources which emit polarized or, as the case may be, non-polarized infrared light, for illumination of the environment. The infrared light reflected from the environment is received by the infrared camera and is imaged upon a display device provided in the field of view of the vehicle operator, which may be in the form of a heads-up display. The image data received by the camera is relayed to the display device/display.
Night vision devices of this type for automobile applications have already been disclosed with various designs. On the basis of adverse effects in the camera (“blooming”, “streaking”) or due to scatter light effects, so called “tangential” or “acute” lights can result. These acute lights can be substantially larger in their geometric form than the actual image of the light source.
As a result of the high maximal light density in automobile display devices, a not insignificant blinding effect can occur in the observer as a result of the acute lights, even in the case of attenuated total illumination of the display in the automobile.
From DE 10017185 A1 a device and a process for recording and displaying images is known which provide a mobile observation system for scenes with an extremely high light intensity dynamic, without causing a blinding of the observer. Herein a process for image processing is employed, in order to subdivide recorded images into contiguous areas and, within the individual areas, to individually adapt the respective light intensity contrast to the light intensity dynamics of the display means. The distribution or division of the image into areas with various light intensities occurs preferably with the aid of processes and algorithms for image processing, such as the application of threshold values and area-oriented segmentation processes. A dimming of the field of view occurs particularly in the case of the occurrence of extreme light brightness. Published patent document DE 19950681 A1 discloses an image recognition system, in particular for automobiles, which makes it possible to completely or partially darken those individual parts of images to be displayed upon the image screen which exhibit too great of a light intensity. These image areas can either be completely dimmed with loss of the entire image information content, or alternatively the image areas may also be displayed with reduced intensity.